plate no. 5244

Mona Lisa

oilHigh Renaissanceportraitportraitfigurelandscapehandsclothingmountains

recreation guide

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painted in oil on a white poplar panel, widely considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian High Renaissance (Source 3). Its distinctive quality lies in the 'subtle modelling of forms' and 'atmospheric illusionism,' achieved through a technique known as sfumato, or 'Leonardo's smoke' (Source 2, Source 3). This method creates a shadowy quality, particularly around the corners of the mouth and eyes, rendering the subject's expression enigmatic and 'more divine than human' (Source 2). The painting is characterized by an 'extremely smooth nature' where brushstrokes are indistinguishable, with oils laid on 'much like tempera' and blended on the surface (Source 2). The composition features a dramatic landscape background that seems in a state of flux, contrasting with the unadorned dress of the sitter, which ensures the eyes and hands remain the focal points without competition from other details (Source 2).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions (allowing for extensive drying time between thin glaze layers)

materials

5 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
White poplar panel	The original support for the painting	High-quality poplar wood panel, primed with gesso
Oil paints (Earth tones, Umbers, Ochres, Greens, Blues)	Primary medium for the painting	High-quality artist-grade oil paints
Linseed oil or Walnut oil	Medium for thinning paints for glazing and scumbling	Refined linseed oil or walnut oil
Varnish (e.g., Copal or Dammar)	For mixing with oil in later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow	Artist-grade painting varnish
Soft brushes (Sable or synthetic)	To achieve the 'indistinguishable' brushstrokes and smooth blending	Soft round or filbert brushes

preparation

surface prep

The painting is executed on a white poplar panel (Source 3). While the specific ground preparation for this specific panel is not detailed in the sources, Leonardo’s practice involved preparing a smooth surface to allow for the fine blending characteristic of his style. The panel should be sanded smooth and prepared with a traditional gesso ground to ensure a stable, non-absorbent surface for the oil layers.

underdrawing

The sources do not explicitly describe the underdrawing method for the Mona Lisa. However, given the 'extremely smooth nature' and lack of visible brushstrokes, it is likely that any initial drawing was either very faint or integrated into the underpainting phase to avoid hard lines that would disrupt the sfumato effect.

underpainting

Leonardo likely employed a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) or a limited tonal study to establish the forms before applying color. Source 1 describes the general old master practice of creating a grisaille (monochrome preparation) and then glazing and scumbling color over it. This aligns with the 'subtle modelling of forms' noted in Source 3, which requires a strong structural foundation beneath the transparent color layers.

color palette

Subdued Earth Tones (Umbers, Ochres)

Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre, White

General use in this artist's palette; specifically for the 'subdued colouring' and skin tones, allowing for the 'shadowy quality' of the sfumato

Atmospheric Greens and Blues

Verdigris, Azurite, Ultramarine, White

The 'dramatic landscape background' which appears in a 'state of flux' and contributes to the atmospheric illusionism

Dark Browns/Blacks

Ivory Black, Burnt Sienna, Umber

The 'unadorned dress' and shadows, providing contrast to the face and hands

composition

The composition is a half-length portrait (Source 3). The figure is set against a dramatic landscape background (Source 2). The subject's dress is unadorned, ensuring that the eyes and hands have 'no competition from other details' (Source 2). The composition utilizes the 'monumentality' of the figure within the frame (Source 3). The background landscape is described as being in a 'state of flux,' contributing to the atmospheric illusionism (Source 2, Source 3).

step by step

underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underpainting

step 01
Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish the forms, values, and composition. Focus on the 'subtle modelling of forms' without applying full color yet.
Tip — Ensure the underpainting is quite dry before proceeding to glazing.
Grisaille

first pass

step 02
Begin applying color using thin glazes. Use oil as a medium initially. Apply 'yellow and red tones' and other colors transparently over the grisaille, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color. It allows the underlying monochrome to show through, creating depth.
Glazing

refining

step 03
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create 'grey blooms' or coldness where needed, particularly in the shadows and background. Blend the paint on the surface so that brushstrokes are indistinguishable.
Tip — Scumbling over a darker ground tends to coldness. Use this to enhance the 'shadowy quality' of the eyes and mouth.
Scumbling / Sfumato
step 04
Continue layering thin glazes, potentially mixing varnish with oil as mastery increases, to build up the 'subdued colouring' and atmospheric effects. Focus on the 'elusive smile' by subtly shadowing the corners of the mouth and eyes.
Tip — The goal is a 'lively' appearance, as noted by Vasari, achieved through the soft transition of tones rather than hard lines.
Sfumato

finishing

step 05
Ensure the final surface is extremely smooth, with oils laid on 'much like tempera.' Check that the landscape background conveys a sense of flux and atmospheric perspective.
Tip — Avoid visible brushstrokes. The technique should make the painting appear seamless.
Blending

critical techniques

Sfumato

A method of blending colors and tones so subtly that there are no visible transitions, creating a 'shadowy quality' or 'smoke' effect. This is crucial for the enigmatic expression and the atmospheric background.

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting. This allows for the 'subdued colouring' and depth characteristic of Leonardo's work, as described in the general practice of old masters.

Scumbling

Applying semi-opaque paint to modify tones and create atmospheric effects, such as 'grey blooms' in the shadows or background.

common pitfalls

→Applying paint too thickly or opaquely, which would destroy the 'transparent' nature of the glazes and the 'indistinguishable' brushstrokes required for sfumato (Source 1, Source 2).
→Failing to let the underpainting dry completely before glazing, which can lead to muddiness and loss of clarity (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or creating hard outlines, which contradicts the 'subtle modelling of forms' and the soft, shadowy transitions of the Mona Lisa (Source 2, Source 4).
→Using bright, saturated colors instead of the 'subdued colouring' typical of the work (Source 2).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·The specific pigments used by Leonardo (e.g., exact types of blue or green) are not detailed in the sources, only the general 'subdued colouring' and 'oil' medium.
·The exact ratio of oil to varnish in the glazing medium is not specified, only that varnish may be mixed with oil as mastery increases (Source 1).
·The specific preparatory drawing technique (e.g., charcoal, silverpoint) is not described in the sources.
·The exact dimensions of the panel are not provided in the sources, though it is identified as a 'white poplar panel' (Source 3).

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Leonardo da Vinci↗
- part 16 — applied to Sfumato technique, smooth brushwork, and description of the smile and background
Wikipedia: Mona Lisa↗
- part 1 — applied to Medium (oil on poplar panel), composition (half-length), and general characteristics (subdued coloring, atmospheric illusionism)
- part 2 — applied to Subject identity and title context